CARVER PLAYGROUND RIBBON CUTTING ON FIRST DAY OF SUMMER CAMP

WHEN:            Monday, July 1, 2019, 11:30-12:00 Noon on the first day of summer camp for 200 kids

WHERE:          Carver Community Center, 7 Academy Street, Norwalk, CT      

Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling, Doug Adams (Brookfield Properties), Vernece Richardson (King Industries), Stanley Seligson (Seligson Properties), other elected officials, Carver Board members and other Carver leaders and guests – and 200 Carver summer campers!                 

Following a successful fundraising drive led by student volunteers at New Canaan High School, the new playground is now ready for Carver’s summer camp students to enjoy. Our new playground has all the latest safety and fun learning features for K-5 aged children, including a new padded surface that ties together all the pieces of the playground. A plaque affixed to the play set includes the names of the student volunteers and the playground donors, including Edward Harney, King Industries, Matthew & Sarah Schimenti, Seligson Properties, the Shoff Foundation, Janine Smith, and the Richard & Barbara Whitcomb Foundation.            

Carver's previous playground was built decades ago for pre-kindergarten children. Ask children, “How was school today?” and you’re likely to hear about what they experienced in playtime. In Carver after school and summer programs, play can include robotics and many other hands-on project-based activities, but we never lose sight of the fundamental value of play as it’s been understood and enjoyed through the centuries. For many children, the time on the playground represents the emotional core of their day. Researchers say that one of the best predictors of whether kids feel happy in school is whether they feel comfortable and competent during play.            

Carver is Norwalk’s largest providerof after school programs for 5^th to 12^th grade students and the largest provider of summer programs for K through 9th grade students, operating in 12 Norwalk schools and the Carver Community Center. Carver consistently receives the highest annual ratings from Charity Navigator and Guidestar, far exceeding industry standards for financial health, transparency and accountability to donors.